This study set out to analyze the overall archeological attributes of roof tile kilns from Joseon excavated and investigated in the Yeongnam region and examine the characteristics of their changing patterns over time.
The investigator selected 100 roof tile kilns from Joseon in the Yeongnam region fit for an attribute analysis in the study, classified them by the form and periodic pattern, and sorted them out clearly with standard examples for each period.
Based on an estimation that there must have been a surge in roof tile demand at the phase of economic recovery following Imjinwaeran(1592) and Byeongjahoran(1636) and in the process of social development during the latter part of Joseon, the study examined the changing process of roof tile kilns in their partial forms according to each function of their structure to ensure the smooth supply of roof tiles, classified the roof tile kilns in structure by the form and period, and looked into their characteristics.
The study first focused its review on the planar forms and sizes of firing parts, which displayed the changing process of kilns in the form most clearly according to their development during certain periods in connection to the detailed structure of the entire kiln, as the most important attribute criterion.
The reason derives from the purpose of roof tile kilns, which is to produce roof tiles. That is, they must have explored the changes of a kiln structure in the developmental patterns of roof tile kilns to ensure the stable production of quality roof tiles and promote an increase to their production. The main objective of the study is to shed light on them. This means that the most important attribute would lie in changes to the planar forms and sizes of firing parts where tiles were piled up and fired.
In addition, the production of roof tiles in large amounts would require an increase to thermal power accordingly. Predicting that there must have been changes to the cross-sectional form of the burning chamber in the fuel intake, the presence or absence of a step in the firing part, the height and tilt angle of Bulteok, and the planar form of the burning part among the detailed changing patterns of the burning and firing parts, the study measured these attributes numerically and classified and analyzed the changes. The study also traced the process of detecting differences in the planar sizes of roof tile kilns according to their enlargement over time. The analysis of these overall attributes showed a changing process from the production system of single or small kilns to the industrialization stage of roof tile production complexes with large kilns in large numbers to increase roof tile productivity.
The findings demonstrate that the changing patterns of roof tile kilns from Joseon in the Yeongnam region in the internal structure over different periods could be divided into three stages according to the criteria of forms, providing the analysis results of their characteristics.
In the study, the archeological investigation results of the 100 roof tile kilns at 25 locations were put together with the measurements of their form classification according to the changes to their overall structure based on the main attribute criteria including 1) the planar forms and sizes of the firing part, 2) the cross-sectional form of the burning chamber in the fuel intake, 3) the presence or absence of a step in the firing part, 4) changes to the height and tilt angle of Bulteok, and 5) the plane of the burning part to figure them out at a glance on graphs and statistics. This attempt is original as it tried to show the detailed changing patterns of the major functions in overall roof tile kilns at a glance beyond the viewpoint of research to target some parts simply based on the old form classification of roof tile kilns in the academic circles.
As mentioned above, this study was limited to the Yeongnam region and attempted to examine the social and economic aspects of the Joseon Dynasty through changes in the structure of roof tile kilns during the Joseon Dynasty. Based on these studies, I would like to expand the scope of research to all parts of Korea during the Joseon Dynasty.